“Maybe,” replied the man, without conviction.
“Why––what do you mean?”
Eve’s eyes were widely questioning. The other shrugged.
“You can’t tell. It’s hard to get at what’s passing through his quaint mind. I don’t think gold interests him as much as you’d think. Peter has plenty of money. Do you know, he offered to advance me ten thousand dollars to buy up a ranch around here. He pressed it on me, and tried to make out it would be a favor to him if I took it. Said I didn’t know how much I’d be obliging him. He’s a good man. A––a wonderful man. I tried to get him to stop on––but–––”
“I don’t blame him for going,” said Eve, regretfully.
“Nor do I.”
Again that silence fell, and each was busy with thoughts they neither could easily have expressed.
“What’s the other?” Eve inquired presently. “You said––two things.”
“Did I? Oh, yes, of course.”